Sweet Yahoo Turns 8

This is Sweet Yahoo.

And today she turns 8.

She is so beautiful.

Inside and out.

She makes me laugh and cry all in the same breath. 

She is the kindest sweetest person I have ever met.  EVER.

And I want to be just like her when I grow up.

The thought of anything ever breaking her heart breaks mine.

I remember the morning she was born.  The Honey and I driving to the hospital, butterflies doing their dance in our stomachs.  The moon standing at attention all full face and beaming with curiousity at this marvel that was to enter our world. This Sunday's Child came into the world bright and early one morning as the sun rose to greet her and the birds started singing her a song.  And who cares what the weather was outside because her arrival brought all the light and the warmth needed to fill the room.

And since that wonderful fall morning not a day goes by that I am not amazed at the grace upon grace that was given to me when I received her as my daughter.  My girl.  My only baby girl.

And now I have a confession to make.

When this beauty queen was around 2 years old she would cry.  She would cry alot.  She was scared of everyone and everything and she just wanted me to hold her.  And me, being the foolish woman that I was, tried to toughen her up.  Tried to make her not need me.  What was I thinking?  Me and my tough love.  I wish I had held her more and let her cry it out less.  More comforting.  More grace.

Yes, because I know now that we only have this short moment to hold on to them.  And I don't want to miss another chance to hug and encourage, to kiss and calm those fears. 

Today I use a new kind of tough love on you, Sweet Yahoo.  The kind of love that is tough for me but more grace to you.  No matter the cost, the inconvience, the hurt.  I want you to know that even as deep as my love is for you, there is One that has faced every fear for you. 

I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears

Psalm 34:4

 

 

 

And though at times you might have no one here to turn to, you are never alone.

 

 

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you

Deuteronomy 31:6

 

And that whatever may come, you can trust in the One who holds your heart.

 

 

All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,
for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Psalm 25:10

 

 





To that end I keep working, Baby Girl.  I know I will fail.  Everyday I will fail.  But when it is all over the only thing I hope to accomplish for you is to teach you to keep running to Jesus with those fears.  And with your joys.  And your hurts.  With everything.  Just keep running.  He will always hold on to you.
 
So Happy Happy Birthday, Sweet Yahoo.  You are my crowning joy and the apple of my eye.  You make me feel like it's my  birthday every day of the year getting to be your mama.  I love you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Yahoo Vacation

Well, it was four years in the making but my little family finally got to take a vacation. 

And it was wonderful.

Our amazing race took us to Virginia Beach, Colonial Williamsburg, and finally Washington DC.

To see where Daddy works.  Because we all know now that he's in the CIA. 

I figured the Yahoos would be disappointed when we hit the nation's capital and saw that their dad didn't get all this special treatments they were expecting, being a CIA agent and all.  Things like advising the President or starting a war or crazy ninja moves on random people walking down the street.  But The Honey convinced them that he had to maintain his cover for national security reasons.  So everyone up there just acted like he was a normal guy. 

Pfft.

Anyway.  We did.  We did have a wonderful time.  We made lots of memories and lots of U-turns.  DC can be a little complicated to maneuver through at times. 

We played frisbee on the beach at night and had ice cream every day of the week and had coke to drink at every meal.  We got to pretend to be spies for the colonists back in 1776 and intercepted secret codes.  Then we walked back to the hotel to watch 27 episodes of Turtleman.

One of Sweet Yahoo's most anticipated moments was being in 'her' state. 

We walked The Mall at night to stand in awe of the Lincoln Memorial and managed to fit in a tour of the White House.  This by far was our biggest accomplishment.  Because I was a little trepedacious to send a 3 year old into the White House.  Especially MY 3 year old.  The one who really enjoys dropping his drawers to pee anywhere he pleases.  But when it was over all the corners of the President's home were puddle free.

**Insert Hallelujah chorus**

Yes, this Yahoo vacation of ours was well worth the wait.

We took advantage of the teachable moments we had to give life lessons on the sacrifices made during WWII, the beauty of creation and the grace of the Creator.  We got to live out in front of our kids how to have patience in stressful situations and how to forgive and be forgiven when we aren't as patient as we should be. 

But most of all we got to love on each other.  To love and be loved.  To hold hands on the beach and hold a gaze across the dinner table.




Our second night we spent the evening on a friend's boat in NC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



No Caption Necessary

 

 

We managed to squeeze in a game of putt putt

 

 

 

In front of the Gettysburg address at the Lincoln Memorial

 

 

In Arlington at the JFK site.

 

 

Live Action at the Museum of Natural History

 

 

Changing of the Gaurd.  We could have stayed here all day.

 

 

 

 

  So as I come back home to toilet scrubbing and washing dishes and laundry piled high I am truly thankful for the past 10 days.  But I'm mainly thankful for the 5 beautiful people God has blessed me with.  I couldn't be more pleased to be their wife and mama.

 

 

 

Ripe

Tis the season for fruit flies.

Our house has been overrun by them.  I have tried everything to get rid of those pesky things.  Trapping them in bags of bananas,   apple cider vinegar,  spraying them with alcohol.  My latest maneuver is storing every ounce of food that I own in the refridgerator.  No kidding.  Everything.  I have to say it seems to have helped.  But trying to find the jelly for my toast in the morning has left me a bit frazzled. 

 

 

I guess that is the price we have to pay to have some of the best tasting foods lining the bar of our kitchen.  Our garden has produced some beautiful canteloupe and tomatoes.  And I've been letting myself eat just as many strawberries and peaches I can get my hands on.  I love it.  When they are all fragrantly ripe and more sweet than sour and juice running down your chin. It's a beautiful, ugly mess watching me eat those lovely things.

I think I look like this

 But I actually look a little like this. 

As in most things in life, there is a price that must be paid for enjoying the 'fruits' of your labor.  And for us right now, it's those bothersome fruit flies.

I started thinking the other day as I was sinking my teeth into some of those strawberries of how well worth the wait it was to enjoy them.  I am always tempted to grab things out of my garden too early because I just cannot wait to enjoy them.  And everytime I do I am disappointed.  It isn't ripe enough.  And the taste is bitter and sour and weak.  But if I do have some self control and take my eyes off the immediate gratification, the rewards are so....well....sweet. 


It made me think of this

Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

 Psalms 1:-3

There is nothing more beautiful to look at and to eat than a strawberry or peach or tomato that is fully ripe.  It makes all the work of hoeing and pulling weeds and diligently walking the rows in search of bugs or the wrestling in prayer for rain worth it.  And God is so faithful to grow those things to maturity in due season.  So with a little patience and work and trust I am able to be satisfied with some of God's most glorious concoctions of sugar and beauty. 

And so it is with us. 

This past week I had a birthday.  Nothing monumental.  Just a small quite birthday filled with lots of friends and family loving on me and making me smile.  I needed that this year.  Small and quite.  My life lately has been feeling a bit overwhelming and chaotic.   But as I reflected on my 34 years of living I couldn't help thinking about that word.  Ripe.  Yielding fruit in season.

Am I there yet?  Is that me?  Am I that tree planted by streams of water? 

I definitely feel that I am maturing.  My body has felt it for years.  But now my spirit seems to be catching up. 

Years ago, when faced with a season of drought, I believe I would have withered under the strain.  If the money was tight or the tension with The Honey was palpable or the whining of the Yahoos was unending I think I remember myself falling apart.  It wasn't pretty.  There is something about a grown woman throwing a fit that is, well, not so easy on the eyes.  But now I feel I have learned to tap into those streams of water that are so faithful to supply all I need during the seemingly long seasons of drought.

I don't say that to brag.  I definitely still feel withered at times.  And I FOR SURE don't feel that whatever I do prospers.  But I count it no small accomplishment that I have finally realized where the source of my growth and fruit production comes from.

 And that is what I'm after, isn't it?  Producing good fruit.

 Fruit that will endure time and tests and trials.  Fruit that my children will see and say I want what she's got.  Fruit that will be a blessing to others.  Fruit like mercy and gentleness.  Fruit like a kind word. Fruit that provides encouragement over criticism and gratefullness over greed. 

And just like my tomatoes and canteloupe the production of this fruit requires some work and patience.  But most importantly it requires trust.  Trust in the one who supplies everything I need.

My stream of Living Water.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

2 Peter 1:3

 

 

Yes, I am thankful for that birthday present this year.  The gentle lesson that the fruit I try to produce on my own, in my own strength, will only be bitter and sour.  Like counterfeit strawberries in January.  But the fruit produced by quiet reliance on The Living Water will yield something sweet and beautiful.